TIJUANA, Mex. – The U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) is offering a $35,000 reward for any information on the whereabouts of escaped Kern County fugitive Cesar Hernandez.
Hernandez, who escaped from custody while being transferred from Kern Valley State Prison to a court appearance last December, is now also wanted for killing the leader of an elite Mexican police unit that tracks down American fugitives in a shootout in Tijuana last week.
Wanted ads by the USMS and the Baja California State Police allege that while the Baja California State Police’s International Liaison unit was trying to apprehend Hernandez, he killed the group’s chief, Abigail Esparza Reyes. Carlos Zuñiga, a spokesperson for the state police, wrote that Esparza Reyes was shot during the April 9 operation and later died.
Hernandez remains on the loose.
“This person is considered dangerous, therefore citizens are asked to inform the authorities immediately if they see him,” reads the Baja California State Police’s wanted ad.
Prior to his escape on the U.S. side of the border, the 34-year-old Hernandez was serving a sentence of 80 years to life at Kern Valley State Prison in Delano for first-degree murder.
The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation confirmed via email that “there is an active investigation involving the U.S. Marshals Service and Mexican law enforcement related to Cesar Hernandez in Tijuana,” and referred further questions to USMS.
USMS spokesperson Michael Soto confirmed his agency is assisting in the investigation..
“USMS personnel were in the area but not involved in the shooting incident,” says the statement Soto sent via email. “They did render aid to Commander Esparza Reyes before she succumbed to injuries. We mourn her loss along with her family, friends and colleagues.”
An ABC News documentary from last year described Esparza Reyes as a member of a specialized unit known by some as “Gringo Hunters” that tracks U.S. fugitives who escape to Mexico.
An Instagram statement from Baja California Governor Marina del Pilar Ávila Olmeda recognized her valiance and dedication to serving the state.”
“To the family and loved ones of Officer Abigail, we recognize her bravery and dedication in the service of her state…Abigail’s life will be honored, and her death will not go unpunished,” it says.
After Esparza Reyes was shot, Tijuana’s Punto Norte news outlet wrote that more than 200 law enforcement officers, two helicopters, drones and armored vehicles rushed to the scene in a residential neighborhood.
Hernandez was convicted of first degree murder in Los Angeles in 2019 and was sentenced to 80 years to life in prison. On Dec. 2, 2024, he jumped from a prison van after being transported to a hearing at the Kern County Superior Courthouse in Delano. For the next two days, schools in Delano closed and public Christmas celebrations were cancelled while authorities searched for Hernandez.
According to the state corrections department, Hernandez is 5 feet, 5 inches tall and weighs approximately 160 pounds. He has brown eyes and black hair.
The USMS encourages anyone with information about Hernandez to call its tip line, 1-877-926-8332.
This story was produced with support from the California Newsroom, a collaboration of public media outlets throughout the state, with NPR as its national partner.
